Cursed
by Jess D
Summary: A different 'curse' has been brought upon one Saotome Ranma. While fate saw fit to give his father the same, it decided to test the young martial artist further than by just changing genders. What this means, remains to be seen.


**_CURSED_**

by Jess D

4/8/02

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Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma, the concept of Gargoyles as made popular by others; or any other shows who may have been referenced to within this story.

Author's Notes: This one has been on my private files for more than a good while now. And as I've been busy with life, not to mention work in general, I just recently managed to find the time and the will to work on this story. At least to the point of this first chapter, and to see if I still have what it takes to write again.

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The knock on the Tendo Home roused everyone from where they sat as the outside storm raged on. Nabiki, being closest to it, put down her Dragon Ball manga and smoothed out as best as possible her clothing. Passing by the mirror, she gave herself a once over as she checked her business-like shoulder length haircut. Her soft brown eyes going further down; looking at her cut-off jeans, her orange tank-top, and the pink ribbon she wore on her head.

Soun soon came racing to the living room with a hysterical look on his face as tears ran down his face, falling on his brown gi. His eldest daughter, Kasumi, wearing a traditional white kimono with white Chrysanthemum embroidery on it. Her hair tied securely in a white bow and ponytail, removed her apron as she too made sure she was ready. The youngest Akane, stood at the top of the stairs.

Her face was covered in a mask of hate and resentment, while hiding her feelings of fear underneath. Her left fist fell upon the banister of the stairwell, holding the said piece of wood tightly. Having recently come out of the bath she had taken after her afternoon workout. Her own long, shadow blue hair was held securely in much the same manner as Kasumi. Her dark brown eyes matching perfectly with the soft white summer dress she was made to wear.

As the door soon opened at the hands of Nabiki, they all recieved a shock of their lives as their eyes came to rest on a large shadowy figure. Right before them stood a tall stranger, whose features lay hidden under a menacing hood of what looked to be the black robes of a European monk. Next to it was a somewhat smaller, yet large panda that held a sign with its right paw.

It simply read: Hello Tendo.

All three Tendous' fell to the floor unconscious from fright at what they just saw, Kasumi, however, remained conscious. A sweat-drop having formed behind her head though she managed to speak to the stranger and his 'pet.'

"Come in please, you must be cold from the rain. Please come in and try to warm yourself."

As she let in the dark six foot figure and animal walk in, she turned to the stranger and tried to remove his 'coat.' But was quickly stunned by the stranger as the he simply avoided her reach with ease and grace. His movements belying his size as he simply shook his head and in a deep baritone voice. His speech, having come from somewhere out of the black void that, she guessed, would be his face.

"If you please... allow me to keep my robe on. I don't mean to be rude or nuting, its just... the way I am."

The figure stood there as Kasumi looked him over and silently with a head nod and awe in her eyes, respected her guests' wishes. She continued to move away to get cold water to awaken her unconscious family, when the stranger spoke again. His deep voice causing small shivers to run through her back involuntarily.

"If you don't mind, couldya please get some hot water for my po- er... pet."

Kasumi turned to the stranger as she simply said a yes that sounded a little above a whisper. Then went her way about, into the kitchen to make the arrangements needed. Not to mention, to see of what could be done about dinner.

* * *

A damp Soun and Genma Saotome now sat across from each other as the head of the household listened to his old friend. His three daughters sitting to his sides as the dinner, still warm, lay on the table, covered.

"So Saotome... how is it that you are a panda? And can you tell me who your 'companion' is? He nearly gave me and my daughters a heart-attack." Spoke Soun.

Akane, who was looking over at the tall stranger by the corner who sat in a meditation position, noticing 'his' involuntarily movement. She wasn't sure if her eyes were deceiving her or not, but she could've sworn that 'he' winced as if in pain. She guessed it must be mostly because of what came out of her father, of his 'scaring' them. She turned back to face her father as the figure turned its hood covered gaze at her, catching her looking at him.

"-and when we reached the training ground old friend, I hate to say this... but I wish I never had gotten the idea of taking the..." Genma cast his eyes at his 'son' in the corner, a sad look in his eyes and turned back to the story, "my son there."

Signing rather audibly, and shaking his head to the the left and right in the same mood, he continued. "The training grounds of Jusenkyo, otherwise known as the Springs of Sorrow. I regret ever going there, much less getting the idea in my head. From now, until the day I die; even if I were to get lucky and be cured, I shall curse myself for my stupidity."

Tendo Soun stayed where he sat as his head, too, moved in much the same fashion as his friends' did a moment ago. "Such a sad tale of great woe my friend, so... again,... that was you as the panda then?"

Genma nodded as his faced looked down and then proceeded to dump the remaining cold water on himself. Thus, changing into a panda right in front of them, as Genma could see that his friend held still, some disbelief. All of which was wiped out from the minds of him and his daughters' as they saw it happen before them. Kasumi, being unfazed as she had seen it herself earlier, more than once.

A sign popped out of nowhere reading: My mind remains the same flip in either form, flip I'm still Saotome Genma. (Adding in thought) '...a living example of the worlds' worst excuse for a father.' Proceeding to take a sad look, or as close as one he could make in present condition, Genma moved on with the rest of the presentation.

After dumping the other glass of hot water, he changed back and now sat before his friend and family. Soun looked sadden but just as quickly smiled a large grin as he remembered how he saw his friend. A look he had given toward the stranger when he said the word 'son.'

He quickly got up and went to hug the man behind them when the stranger looked at him and dodged his move. Soun blinked at the mans' actions and wondered if he had been wrong in the assumption.

"Saotome, is this Ranma who I just tried to hug?"

His head still hung, Genma signed and nodded as he said, "Yes Tendou that is my son, but..."

Everyone turned to Genma as he spoke the word 'but' in such a manner of way that showed great sorrow.

He got up from his sittin' position and walked over to Soun and looked him dead in the eyes and said, "Old friend... I wish to... end... the engagement between our two families."

Soun was taken back by his friends' decision and was about to retort when Genma beat him to it. "I'm only saying this because I do not wish to force my son into anything he doesn't want to. I did that once and..." Casting his gaze downward, he continued, "it cost him a great deal." Adding in nothing but a whisper, he added, "more than I care to admit."

Before Soun could speak again, Genma continued. "BUT,... if you still wish it, then we'll leave it to him and your daughters to decide, IF they want too."

As the two adults discussed their recent issue of argument, it was soon ended as it was agreed that Genma was right. Soun could still not fathom why his friend would do this, but there was something he could feel, he was not being told. Looking over to the young 'Ranma' as he remembered reading the young mans' name in the postcard, he wondered. However, it was agreed that the Saotomes' would stay in the guest room that had been finished being cleaned not a day ago.

Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane who had all in their way dreaded the news of a forced engagement for a week now, were stunned. The turn of events that had just happened was not what they were expecting. All three then turned and started to stare at the young Saotome, who until this moment, had not yet made his presence known too much. Or for that matter had yet to show them his appearance.

Ranma looked from beneath his hood and moved to stand up in front of the family. His impressive height of six, almost seven, feet intimidated them a bit, except for Tendo-san and his father who were both just shy of six feet themselves. So he walked over to them. The moment going soundless for a few seconds as everyone could hear the sounds of clicking at the wooden floors of the dining room. Almost the sound wooden geta sandals, 'claws' would make as each, supposedly, pointy talon hit the ground.

When he stood before them all, he came down before the family man and head of the house on one knee. Showing respect before him, he spoke in his baratone, deep voice. "Tendou-san, I wish to request a favor."

Soun nodded rather quickly to which Ranma winced in pain again but continued speaking. "As you said earlier, that my father and I will be staying in the guest room, I'd like to change that agreement. My father can sleep there, but I'd like to stay in your dojo for every night from now on. If its alright with you?"

Considering for a moment, after briefly getting back in some composure on his behalf, he nodded toward the boys' request. He didn't know why anyone would want to sleep in the dojo considering they weren't the best of places to sleep in. They were mainly made for practice, not as a place of rest but work.

At night their dojo ususally became one of the coldest places on earth, and in winter, there was no way to stay warm. It simply puzzled Soun why the child of his best friend in life would ask such a thing. Though, if it made him happy, he would gladly comply and allowed it as he watched the youth get up.

Nodding, Soun gave the boy his agreement to the agreement change and watched as the boy walked over to the front door. By it sat a medium sized duffel bag of brown leather, to which an unseen hand grabbed and carried across. Once before them, he bowed to all the people present and walked out of the backdoor and off into the night.

A few seconds later, the door to the dojo was heard sliding open and the lights going on, as a tattle-tale sliver of light came when the door was closed. The sounds of the tall boy's footsteps heard all the way from there as everyone stood there silent. Then, Soun regaining his senses, proceeded to take his friend upstairs to show him his room. The slight drizzle earlier of the night gone now, in the skies a clear midnight blue blanket with diamonds pinned within its finds. The crown jewel, the large pearl of the moon, hanging full and in bloom on the sky. The light giving the outside an eerie glow and the most unusual feel to it.

The moment was broken as Tendo Nabiki, the middle Tendo daughter spoke. "Something's fishy here and I don't mean the neightbors' cat. Why did 'Ranma' hide himself all through the night. I mean, the guy might be our future-husband, and not once did he let us see if he was at least cute."

Akane by this time woke up from her momentary stupor and began her usual answer to such comments made by her older sister. "I don't care if he's cute or not. He's obviously a pervert, wishing to sleep outside so when were asleep, he can sneak over to the windows and peek on us. Why else would he go through all this trouble of spending the night outside?!"

Kasumi thought this, and came up with a very observant answer to stop all logic of the other two sisters. "I think he had been through alot in his young life and was obviously cursed too, like his father. Maybe he just didn't want us to be frightened by whatever he becomes... Oh my! Could he be some sort of monster?"

Nabiki and Akane, momentarily stunned by what their normally oblivious eldest sister had said. That Ranma might be cursed too, but if he is... why didn't he splash himself with cold water like his Otosan? Why go through the trouble of keeping it a secret if water affects the change? Is he ashamed he might change before them by accident? Saotome-san had mentioned of him becoming a water magnet as of late.

If thats' so, what could he turn into?

That got Nabiki's juices flowing. A secret that might be worth the challenge of discovering. A challenge. However, in the mind of one Tendo Akane, the same response was almost the same. Her 'intution' was telling her that he was just a pervert. So, she made up her mind that she would have to sleep facing her locked window, with a bokken in hand, and her curtains drawn closed tonight.

Then, as by a chance of fate, as the three sisters looked across to the backyard, they could see a silhouette by the thin sliding door. The light of the dojo is but a single light bulb, but highly strong and powerful enough to give out detailed shadows. As the tall, dark figure with short hair reached for the light, his hood having fallen off. A split second before the light was completely off, each sister could have sworn they saw almost leaf-shaped, elfin like ear sticking out of their guests' green skinned head. That, and had they paid attention, a flash of silver light in the shape of two eyes, glowing against the thin paper door.

* * *

As the three sisters walked back in, a tall emerald skinned creature with large bat-like wings enfolded around his shoulders walked out. His hair jet black but short, cropped at the base of his neck all around his head; in an almost crew-cut fashion. The figure stood on two over-sized feet that did in fact looked like the hind legs of some animal, with three talons for toes. Two stormy blue-grey eyes looking out to the retreated sisters and signed heavily as he casted his gaze to the bright moon.

"Only a night like this, you won't work will you, you stupid thing?" Said the tall creature as he looked at a black leather choker tied snugly around its muscled neck. On the center of it was a gem of equal color as the band, except darker. It was almost an actual small gleaming onyx stone resting upon the beasts' Adam's apple.

"Man-made magic doesn't work on full moons, but you aren't man-made, are you?! Even Wufei-sifu said so, yet you still follow that rule." SIGN! Looking through natural infra-red vision, he looked at the large cloak that was folded over his bag. "Thank the gods the Master gave me one of his cloaks. Couldn't have gotten through the night without it. Even using the Umisen-ken, oyaji taught me, it would've been tough not to be seen eventually. And you..." Looking at the leather choker, "You were supposed to allow me to walk unseen as I really am. You were supposed to let me be seen as I once was. But- the answers' the same, don't work on a full moon. Great. Stupid piece of junk."

Signing once again, he looked to the clear night and walked outside. Stopping a few feet, he kept on looking and figuring it to be at least, ten' thrity in the late evening. In a single bound he was on top the roof of the dojo as he casted his gaze over the district he was in. The district of Tokyo, Japan known as Nerima. He was considering himself lucky that his already heighten sense of hearing was boosted several times over in his current form. It was the only way he was sure that the sisters left to their rooms inside the house.

Narrowing his gaze, he felt it in his heart more stronger than ever that his mother was somewhere near. But... would she think him 'A Man Among Men,' when he wasn't even human anymore?! He casted his gaze down and remembered everything his father had told him prior to arriving at their present location. His body moving without him even realizing it until he was sitting, using his tail as a stool. Fixing himself around, he got comfy and conintued thinking. The one MAIN thing that kept going over and over again in his head, was that of a contract made by his father on his behalf some years ago.

Signing one last time, he got back up and looked to the small district and over its horizon, the city of Tokyo. Feeling the urge again, he almost took off into the night like he had almost every night back in China. Being a gar- garguy... DEMON or whatever the heck he was, made him feel deeply. A feeling he always had within himself, a feeling that had never really left him, human or otherwise. The urge, no, need to go out there and protect. Even as martial artist in training, it was the same thing, protect those who were weaker. Though now, it had been multiplied since the moment he had fallen in the Gaagoirnichuan, the spring of drowned gargoyle.

Now as his other form was out at night, he knew he had at least have to fly around to get a feel of the city. If he fell asleep somewhere, he always carried an extra pair of pants and shirt. Thanks to a friend he had made from a local village by the name of Muu Tsuu, he had learned a neat trick. Now, even in this form, all he needed was at least five hours of sleep and he was ready to go. Besides, if he did fall asleep, he could always get in some extra training by roof-hopping.

So, deciding to risk it for once in his life, despite saying the same thing many other nights before and who knows how many more in the future. He took off, flapping with what little miner-ability he had to catch a good air draft. Once up about thirty feet, he caught a draft and charged himself with ki to float up a bit more higher. Soon, the little dot that he was, Ranma was in the heart of downtown Tokyo.

From a window on the second story of the Tendo home, a curtain of the far left corner was drawn back. Rich chocolate brown eyes stared from the clear glass of the closed window. The eyes of the said viewer was one Tendo Akane as her face came into view from the light of the moon. Her face was scrounged in a confused manner as her earlier observations and her own feelings mixed.

By all past actions, she had judged, tried and executed all of the male population of the world as perverts. Boys who never cared about others feelings and only looked to satisfy their own needs and desires. Never courteous or sensitive to anything of the female population. However, from what she had seen earlier, she was beginning to have doubts about her judgement. Doubts placed by a boy about her age, if she had heard her father well, that she had yet to really meet face to face. But his speech and movements told of someone who knew humility and pain, like Dr.Tofu did when seeing a patient. More so when he got one that was in some pain or another, his movements really remind her of him.

Shaking her head, she threw those thoughts away as she brought her current thoughts back on-line. 'Must be the result of too much training, guess I'm tired and just need sleep. No BOY could EVER be like MY Tofu.'

With that thought, she closed the curtains and went to bed, unseen by her a receding winged-shadow in the night. His features as clear as if it had been day due to the bright pale light of the moon.

* * *

The morning came as bright, beautiful as it always did over the Tendo home, as one Tendo Kasumi was hanging laundry. In the kitchen, her meals were in the process of being cooked and prepared for the family. Everything was just as quiet and beautiful as it had always been, Kasumi finishing her laundry began to head back into the house. And that was when it happened.

"AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!"

In complete shock as the sun was starting to reach its mid point, the first rays soon touch the dojo. Hitting it squarely through a small window near the roof.

"ARGHHH!!" THUD "ARRGGHHH" BOOM "NGGHHHH!!" THUD "AAAHHHHH!!" THOOM THOOM Along with the sound of powerful fists pounding on the dojo floor rang in the air. "AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!! THUD" After almost ten minutes and the sound of someone being dropped like a sack of soggy potatoes became the last sound of movement from the dojo.

"Oh my!" Stood a scared and shocked Kasumi as she trembled and held her right hand to her mouth. Within a few seconds; Nabiki, in pair of green PJ's and shock in her eyes stood beside her sister. Next to her was their father in just brown dogi pants and his long black hair disheveled. Akane, with a kendo stick in hand, dressed in a pair of yellow pajamas with stars on it, stood there as well.

"What do you think that was all about?" A wide-eyed Soun asked his daughters in mute shock.

"I don't know but that idiot have better not been killed by some mugger or thief. That's my job when I get my hands on him!!" Said a bugged eyed, but worried Akane. After all, it wouldn't do to start some legend about the ghost of some boy haunting HER dojo.

Nabiki, the clam of the four though still sleep uniform, looked on at the dojo with some curiosity. 'What had just happened in there that would cause our 'guest' to scream in such great pain?' She wondered.

As all four, though slowly, approached the dojo door, were soon shocked out of their skins a second time as a large man in a white gi appeared before them. As each fell at the same time from shock, it was shown to be none other than Saotome Genma, in human form, preventing access.

"Do not enter Tendo-kun. Please allow my son time to get ready before meeting all of you." Adding a whisper, thinking out-loud, not meant to be heard by anyone, though Nabiki listened. "The boy must of slept in late. Out 'patroling' I suppose. Forgot to put on his 'mouth cover' for the pain of the 'change'." Genma cast his gaze in worry over his shoulder and back to his son. His head turned to the dojo as his right eye looked on behind with concern.

"But Saotome... the boy could be in trouble, or in some sort of danger?? What about uniting the schools, what if he is dead?!" Begun a hysterical Tendo. His form on the verge of tears, but before Genma could answer, the door to the dojo slide open. Before them was revealed a highly tired and sweaty Saotome Ranma. His muscles glissing with sweat, detailing the curves of each toned muscle. His long bangs covering his blue-grey eyes slightly as he panted, only covered in the darkest black colored pair of loose drawstring pants. His feet bare, but his forearms covered by a pair of gold bracers, with a twisting pair of serpent like dragons engraved on them.

Leaning against the doorframe for support, Ranma looked through his hair as it covered his eyes. Trying to regain some dignity, he tried to stand on his power but lost it, falling forward to the ground. He didn't complete he fall from grace, though, as his father caught him at the last second, inches from the ground, and stood him back up.

The three, red-faced, Tendo sisters had their mouths slightly opened as they had not expected a... MAN... to be their betrothed. In fact, after meeting him, they each expected a less pleasing looking boy to stand before them. Not the young warrior that stood in almost all his glory, that was there before them.

Kasumi blushed further at putting into memory each detail of the young man's form but soon changed in demeanor. Seeing him in some sort of pain, her motherly instincts kicked in. "Oh dear, is something wrong with Ranma-kun, Saotome-san?"

The adding of 'kun,' did not go by unnoticed by the other sisters present. But their worries were for not, as Kasumi was in a motherly frame of mind, disregarding her earlier, and private thoughts. However, that did nothing to quench this feeling of jealousy that sprang in the pits of their stomachs.

Turning to cast his gaze upon the girl that asked him, after seeing his son regain his balance, Genma answered. "Nothing is wrong Kasumi-san, its just a side-affect to his curse. Unlike mine, my son's is affected by the changing of day and night." Adding in another outspoken after-thought, he whispered, unheard by anyone but Genma, Ranma, "And the change isn't as quick and painless either."

Genma flinched a bit at that, that did not go un-noticed by Nabiki. 'Hm-mm. I wonder what EXACTLY this CURSE is?'

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To be continued... (for now)


End file.
